Ranji Trophy Quarterfinals | Bengal thumps Andhra by an innings and 90 runs, enters semifinals

A dominant Bengal outplayed Andhra by an innings and 90 runs to continue its winning momentum and advance to the Ranji Trophy semifinals in style at the Bengal Cricket Academy ground here on Tuesday.

Andhra, resuming its second innings at 64 for three, was bowled out for 244 as the host, boosted by Shahbaz Ahmed’s four-wicket haul, completed the formalities inside two sessions on the final day of the quarterfinal contest and set up a last-four clash with Jammu and Kashmir at the same venue.

Bengal last played in the semifinals in the 2022-23 season.

Since the result of the match was a foregone conclusion, Andhra batters resisted in their bid to avoid an outright defeat. However, with little to gain and batter K.S. Bharat nursing an injury, it was difficult for the tourists to put up a spirited fight.

Shahbaz, who had taken a wicket overnight, provided the breakthrough in the morning session by removing Andhra skipper Ricky Bhui, who was brilliantly caught at silly point. The following two overs produced two more wickets with Suraj Jaiswal trapping K.V. Sasikanth lbw and Shahbaz having Saurabh Kumar caught at square-leg.

With Bengal opting to give its pacers a break, the strong-willed Nitish Reddy (90, 144b, 7×4, 2×6), who played some fine shots on either side, batted defiantly to add 57 with K.S. Raju and 85 with T. Vijay (46, 61b, 6×4, 2×6).

Part-time leg-spinner Anustup Majumdar dismissed Raju at the stroke of lunch.

The Nitish-Vijay partnership tested Bengal’s patience before Nitish’s soft dismissal off Shahbaz charged up the home side.

Sumanta Gupta captured Vijay’s wicket to trigger celebrations as Bharat chose not to bat.

Captain Abhimanyu Easwaran credited Bengal’s team effort. “The team is peaking at the right time. We are winning important moments this year,” he said, lauding all the players, including Akash Deep, who performed despite running a fever.

The scores: Andhra – 1st innings: 295.

Bengal – 1st innings: 629.

Andhra – 2nd innings: C.R. Gnaneshwar b Jaiswal 20, Abhishek Reddy b Akash 5, Shaik Rasheed st. Gandhi b Shahbaz 8, Ricky Bhui c (sub) Subham b Shahbaz 30, Nitish Reddy c & b Shahbaz 90, K.V. Sasikanth lbw b Jaiswal 0, Saurabh Kumar c Abhimanyu b Shahbaz 1, K.S. Raju c Chatterjee b Majumdar 25, T. Vijay c (sub) Rahul b Sumanta 46, K. Saiteja (not out) 0, K.S. Bharat (absent hurt) 0; Extras (b-4, lb-5, nb-9, w-1): 19; Total (in 72.2 overs): 244.

Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-43, 3-45, 4-92, 5-93, 6-96, 7-153, 8-238, 9-244.

Bengal bowling: Mukesh 9-2-23-0, Akash 8-2-13-1, Jaiswal 15-3-42-2, Shami 3-1-7-0, Shahbaz 24-3-72-4, Sumanta 5.2-0-35-1, Majumdar 8-1-43-1.